Improvement in shutter-fasteners



UNITED STATES THOMAS B. WESTON, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

lIMPROVEMENT IN SHUTTER-FASTENERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 149,904, dated April 21, 1874; application filed September 17, 1873.

To all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS B. WESTON, of the city and county of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented a new and I1nproved ShutterFastener; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a front elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a section through line x. x, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a part detached. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the key, and Fig. 5 a modification of the springcatch.

Similar letters of reference in the accompa nying drawings denote the same parts.

My invention has for its obj ect to improve the operation of sprin g-catches for holding the bolts of outside shutters on the inside; and to this end it consists of a plate adapted to be attached to the inner surface of the door or window casing, and provided with a barrel or socket, which is let into the casing for the reception of the bolt; and is also furnished with a guideplate, which incloses the ends of a double spring, and holds the same over the orihce of the barrel, in position to engage -with a groove on the end of the shutter-bolt, so that when the bolt is thrust into the casing the spring closes over its inner end. It also consists in combining therewith a key adapted to open the springA and disengage the bolt from the outside before the shutter is closed, as I' will now proceed to describe.

,In the drawings, A represents the inside casing of a door or window, to which is attached a rectangular plate, l?, cast with a barrel or tube, B, on its back side, the bore of which extends entirely through the plate. The barrel B extends entirely through or into the casing A, and is of sufficientv size to admit the bolt T, the latter passing through the shutter I, and usually through an iron bar, 1, on the outside, as shown in Fig. 2, and, asit enters the barrel B, is' guided thereby through the plate P. S represents a spring, composed of a strip of fiat metal, bent upon itself at the center, and inclosing a screw, s, in the casin g A below the plate l), its ends extending upA ward across the latter, as shown in Fig. 1. G

l represents a bent guide-plate, attached to the outer face of the plate P above the barrel B, said guide projecting sufciently far from the plate l? to admit the ends of the spring S, which pass through the same. At the center of the guide G is a pin, H, extending across to the plate P, between the ends of the sprin g. The ends of the spring S are bent outward, opposite the barrel B, on each side, so as to admit the bolt l between the same, and they are held, by the guide G and pin H, in the i proper position, the piu being over the exact center of the bore of the barrel, and preventing the spring from becoming displaced laterally, while the guide G holds it in contact with the plate P. The bolt T is provided on its inner end with a groove, t, of Ysuflicient width to receive the bent portions of the spring S, which close into said groove when the same projects through the casing A. The spring is thus enabled to engage with perfect certainty with the grooved bolt, as it cannot become displaced, and is held exactly opposite the end of the barrel B, the latter guiding the bolt as it is thrust into place.

This arrangement enables me to use a light and inexpensive spring, as itis placed edgewise against the strain liable to be exerted on it, and is, consequently, as effective as a much heavier spring would be.

A spring of the form shown in Fig. 5 may be employed as a substitute for the spring S, but would be manifestly within the spirit of my invention.

L represents a key-hole, extending through the casing A, and K is a key, provided with a pointed end, C, and shoulders D on its shank.V 4

The key is inserted in the hole L from the outsideits pointed end entering between the parts of the sprin g, and when turned openin g the same, so that the bolt can be withdrawn from the outside before the shutter is closed, the latter covering the key-hole when closed, as shown in Fig. 2.

' 2. The key K, provided with' the pointed end G and shoulders D on its elongated shank E, in combination with the elements of the above claim, substantially as and for the I purpose specified.

THOMAS B. WESTON.

Witnesses: t

MELVILLE CHURCH, T. K. CHURCH. 

